MONDAY
Ko-doraku (Spring Garden Place, 423-8787, no delivery)
Inexpensive, well-prepared take-out sushi pushes the expected quality of standard food court fare. The baby sister to Doraku (1579 Dresden Row), Ko-Doraku is open for lunch and serves a wide variety of daily specials that should also please veg-heads and non-fish eaters. Plus, the Omega-3s found in spicy tuna rolls assist with brain function and aid with recovery from Sunday night’s downer of Grey’s Anatomy.
Salvatore’s (5541 Young Street, 455-1133, free delivery on the peninsula)
Best known for its gourmet-styled pizza with the heavenly cornmeal crust, don’t forget that Sal’s has a lot more going on, including homemade meatball sandwiches and carbotastic pastas galore. Delivery takes longer than your usual funky crust-dipping sauce (what is in that sauce?) joints, but that just gives you more time to contemplate life’s mysteries and stuff.
Song of the day: Windom Earle, “Four Basic Food Groups”
Cocktail: Propeller Root Beer float
TUESDAY
G. Abato & Sons Italian Market (6061 Young, 455-6124, no delivery)
Seinfeld has his cereal and Homer loves his beer, but if you’re more of a syndicated Friends aficionado (three times a night, my friend), you know that Joey loves his sandwiches. So do you apparently: the Italian Market once again won The Coast’s Best Take-out Lunch and Cold Sandwich in the 2006 readers’ survey. Wrap your mouth around the Vesuvius (Calabrese salami, provolone, Dijon, olive paste and pickle) or, for the more delicate, a grilled veggie panini. No one gets hurt or dies with the Stuffed Eggplant Roulette.
Heartwood Bakery
(6250 Quinpool, 425-2808, no delivery)
Did you know that a human head weighs eight pounds? Just take our word for it when you use the scale at Heartwood Bakery. The self-serve, pay-by-weight vegetarian cafe offers healthy alternatives with plenty of vegan, wheat- and gluten-free menu selections. The knowledgeable staff are willing to answer questions about ingredients, which is a relief for those tired of explaining that vegetables deep-fried in bacon fat are not considered level-five vegan.
Song of the day: The Heavy Blinkers, “Penny Candy”
Cocktail: Ardmore Tea Room chocolate milkshake
WEDNESDAY
Starr’s Dessert Cafe
(55 Portland, 461-4535, no delivery)
If you are a believer in the ultimate healing power of a homemade cookie and think that icing deserves its own food group designation, you might want to make a detour to this downtown Dartmouth cafe. Take it to go or hang out on the front patio and watch Portland do its thing. For dessert, don’t forget to try Starr’s soups and grilled panini sandwiches.
Baan Thai (1569 Dresden Row, 446-4301, $5 delivery charge)
For those occasions when you want to celebrate or apologize for some major screw-up, nothing says, “You’re special and I mean it. Really,” more than a take-out container filled with Pad Thai and spring rolls from The Coast’s Best of Food winner for international fare. A bit more expensive than the usual delivery, each dish is chock full of flavours and portions generous enough that if you’re not a total pig, you’ll have some leftovers for a midnight snack.
Song of the day: Jon Epworth & The Improvements, “Extra Fries”
Cocktail: Bottle of Oland beer with a whiskey shot
THURSDAY
Mid-East Food Centre & Cafe
(2595 Agricola, 492-0958, no delivery)
Say hello to Mid-East’s delicious stuffed grape leaves, a winner in the short and stuffed category, if there was one. Fresh salads, pitas, dips, falafel and other Lebanese dishes mark this busy Agricola neighbourhood corner as a quick and friendly lunch stop. While you’re there, head up front to the store for a selection of Middle Eastern groceries, produce and spices.
Just Spring Roll (Park Lane Mall, lower level, 446-3536, no delivery)
You’re embarrassed because you’re the only one on the block who hasn’t seen Snakes on a Plane and you’ve been lying about it. You want to sneak into Park Lane without anyone recognizing you (a damn hard thing to do in this town), but you’re hungry for something other than hot buttery topping. Look for the small counter to the right of the theatre and there you’ll find reasonably priced wonderful curries (including a great tofu dish) over fluffy rice and spring rolls.
Song of the day: Old Man Luedecke, “Joy of Cooking”
Cocktail: Double-shot espresso from Uncommon Grounds and a sprint up Citadel Hill
FRIDAYStarlite Cafe (5467 Cornwallis,
425-8051, no delivery)
During the summer months, the perfume of barbecued jerk chicken emanating from this wee cafe turns north-enders, bored with the usual food court options, into drooling zombies on the hunt for spicy lunch options. And since we all love zombies and perfectly done jerk chicken, goat or beef with rotis, or spicy tofu and black beans served with rice and cabbage salad, Starlite tops the list as a local favourite. Mia’s (6041 North, 454-5050, free delivery on the peninsula)
Wars have been fought over what constitutes the perfect pizza crust, but in our books, Mia’s crispy organic honey wheat variety is worth a thumb war or two. Topped with low-fat mozzarella, those on the health-conscious side will appreciate the veggie options, but never fear, those without a caloric care: the donair pizza with thinly sliced beef plus donair sauce reunites two favourite fast-foods in synchronistic splendour. At Mia’s, everyone’s a winner.
Song of the day: B.A. Johnson, “I Like You More Than Garlic Fingers”
Cocktail: An eight-pack of Keith’s and a pair of elastic-waisted pants
SATURDAYTurkish Delight (5680 Spring Garden,
446-4366, no delivery)
You can spot them pressed up against the front window, catching the drool on their chins while watching the Delight chefs at work. Those in the know follow their nose to this inexpensive Spring Garden meze bar and kebap house. Vegetarian starters such as hummus, roasted red pepper dip and lentil köfte balls are served with fresh warm pita. But don’t fill up: those magical kebaps—beef, chicken, lamb, lentil, vegetable and more—are charcoal-grilled to crispy perfection.
Alexandra’s Pizza (1263 Queen, 425-1900, 900 Cole Harbour, 435-2700, free delivery)
When nothing but a slice will do, Coast readers flock to Alexandra’s, voted Best Pizza Slice in the whole damn town. Could be the homemade sauce or the secret pizza dough recipe (don’t bother trying to figure it out), but Alexandra’s has become a late-night institution for sopping up the liquid lurching around in drunken bellies. But it’s not all about the slices (or the booze) either: there’s more to choose from on the menu. Although poutine purists might pooh-pooh Alexandra’s Greek and Italian varieties, they’ve become a not-so-secret indulgence for many others around town.
Song of the day: Wordburglar, “Cream of Wheat”
Cocktails: Garrison Jalapeno Ale and HRM-labelled bottle water
SUNDAY
China Classic (6211 Quinpool, 429-2828,
free delivery for orders over $20)
Classic is the word. From the old-school interiors to the Szechuan, Cantonese and Chinese Barbecue menu options, you know you’re in for a treat. Choose from special combination plates or full-course dinners—they all come with egg rolls and a type of rice—or make your own supertastic dinner from the individual items. For a change from the usual bacon-egg-burp breakfast, authentic dim sum is served every Saturday and Sunday, 11am-3pm.
Milamodo Japanese Cuisine (Rockingham Ridge Plaza, 446-6888, delivery charge starts at $5)
Downtown sushi snobs who find themselves far away from home in Clayton Park, wandering aimlessly and foraging for food, should really try this gem, tucked away on Farnham Gate Road. Plenty of variety in the Bento box specials for those who can’t decide, plus the finest selection of sushi, noodles and tempura this side of the peninsula.
Song of the day: Their Majesties, “Dinner at Six”
Cocktail: Carlitos’ green tea latte with a sake chaser
